The Family: A Proclamation to the World

September is the anniversary of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World". In honor of that occasion, I am reposting the proclamation in its entirety.

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

WE, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

WE DECLARE the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

HUSBAND AND WIFE have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

THE FAMILY is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

WE CALL UPON responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland - Israel, Israel, God is Calling

This talk comes from a church education system fireside that was broadcast to the singles, 18 and over. Elder Holland really speaks to the issue of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

The Church and Charitable Donations

It is interesting during a voting year to see the press come down hard on anyone that has money, and this also extends to our church. Our church recently once again released a statement about the use of our charitable funds. I thought this was a good explanation. This was released from the LDS newsroom:

"When the multimillion-dollar Teton Dam disaster struck Idaho in 1976, a force of 45,000 Latter-day Saints was deployed almost overnight to provide emergency relief. When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, Mormon relief trucks arrived before the National Guard was even allowing relief through. Massive oil spills in South Korea in late 2007 found hundreds of volunteers handling the disaster with plans, supplies and manpower within days. The 2010 Haitian earthquake catastrophe was met immediately with 160,000 pounds of food and emergency resources, and a month later, when a devastating earthquake hit Chile, an airlift of tents, tarps, supplies and even diapers was quickly deployed.



The Church is interested in helping those in need become self-sufficient in the long term as well as meeting immediate needs. After the 2004 tsunami devastated Southeast Asia, LDS Humanitarian Services personnel were still working with community-based organizations to provide longer-term aid and development three years later.[i] In addition, the Church regularly donates wheelchairs, funds global immunization efforts, provides clean water service, trains doctors and volunteers in neonatal resuscitation programs, and offers training and treatment for preventing blindness for people all over the world, regardless of race, religion or nationality.

While the Church’s humanitarian aid efforts and its significant financial donations may be known to some, few realize that they represent only a fraction of the costs and resources involved with carrying out these initiatives. Furthermore, it may not be well known that the Church sponsors many other relief programs, including extensive welfare, vocational, rehabilitative, counseling and other services. These services include millions of hours donated by Latter-day Saint doctors, nurses and other Church members each year. Thousands of professionals and volunteers give freely of their time and means to those in need, with no expectation of praise, publicity or reward.

While 100 percent of fast offerings and humanitarian donations go directly to those in need, the overhead and administrative costs associated with these programs — in addition to the resources needed to build storage facilities, house and deliver humanitarian aid supplies around the world, train volunteers and so on — are privately fronted by the Church. Today, thanks to a robust infrastructure, the Church continues to relieve the hunger, thirst, suffering and poverty of millions of people around the world and to empower individuals and communities to become more self-sustaining.

Why We Give

As disciples of Jesus Christ, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints endeavor to follow the Savior’s admonition to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked and visit the sick and those in prison (see Matthew 25:35–36).[ii] Through the efforts of individuals, families and Church programs, temporal and spiritual assistance has been given to millions in need.

A recent study sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice focused on the charitable donations and volunteerism of active Latter-day Saints in the United States. Professor Ram Cnaan and a team of researchers analyzed survey data from a large sample of church-attending Latter-day Saints living throughout the country. Based on their findings, the authors concluded that active Latter-day Saints "volunteer and donate significantly more” than the national average.[iii],[iv] “Regardless of where they live, they are very generous with their time and money,” Cnaan, an expert in faith-based social services and the lead researcher, said. “Through a theology of obedience and sacrifice and a strong commitment to tithing and service, Latter-day Saints are model citizens.”[v]

Breakdown of Donations and Resources

The following are some of the ways in which LDS resources and donations are utilized:

Tithing

In keeping with the biblical practice of tithes, Latter-day Saints offer one-tenth of their income to the Church. These funds are used for:
•Providing buildings or places of worship for members around the world. We have thousands of such buildings and continue to open more, sometimes several in a week.
•Providing education programs, including support for our universities and our seminary and institute programs.
•Supporting the Church’s worldwide missionary program.
•Building and operating nearly 140 temples around the world and the administration of the world’s largest family history program.
•Supporting the Church’s welfare programs and humanitarian aid, which serve people around the world — both members of the Church as well as those who are not members.

Fast Offerings

On the first Sunday of the month, healthy members of the Church are encouraged to fast for two consecutive meals and donate to the Church the money they would have spent on food. These funds help those in local congregations, where Mormon leaders confidentially allocate funds to the needy, with the ultimate goal being eventual self-reliance.

Humanitarian Aid

The Church has joined in more than 200 major disaster assistance efforts, including the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2010 Chile earthquake, the 2010 Pakistan flooding, the 2009 Samoa tsunami, the 2009 Philippines typhoon, the 2009 Indonesia earthquake, the 2008 Ethiopia famine and many others. Naturally, the Church undertakes these projects without regard to the nationality or religion of the recipients.

When a disaster strikes, Latter-day Saints work with local government officials to determine what supplies and food are needed. Materials are then purchased or assembled locally or shipped from LDS storehouses. After urgent needs are met, the Church looks for additional ways to aid in long-term efforts. Our approach is always to help people become self-reliant by teaching skills and providing resources for a self-sustained life.

All of these efforts are made possible by the generous donations of Latter-day Saints and many other charitable individuals and organizations. One hundred percent of the donations given to the Church’s Humanitarian Services go directly to those in need; the Church absorbs all of its own overhead and administrative costs.

While the Church’s emergency response to major disasters draws more media attention, Latter-day Saints engage in many other less visible initiatives. In addition to the Church’s humanitarian aid, donations sponsor ongoing global efforts. The newly created interactive site ldscharities.org shows local initiatives and global projects being completed throughout the world. The local initiatives are need-based projects tailored to particular locations in conjunction with local leaders. The projects include:
•Neonatal resuscitation training: providing resuscitation training and equipment to health practitioners and organizations each year in countries with high infant mortality rates.
•Clean water projects: working with local community leaders to provide access to clean water with wells and other water systems in countries where such access is unavailable.
•Food production and nutrition initiatives: providing training to families and communities to increase productivity and self-sufficiency with home food production and nutrition training.
•Wheelchair distribution: working in partnership with local organizations to provide wheelchairs to the disabled.
•Vision treatment: providing equipment and training to local, qualified medical personnel to perform eye surgeries and prevent blindness.
•Childhood immunizations: partnering with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to provide immunizations and vaccinations for measles, whooping cough and other conditions.

These programs rely not just on donations but also on the time, efforts, expertise and resources of countless volunteers to provide the training and manpower to maintain these services.

Welfare Program

While humanitarian relief is directed to global communities and individuals not of our faith, Latter-day Saints also contribute to the welfare program, which is primarily designed to care for the needy within the stewardship of the Church, though, at the discretion of bishops, local funds can, where possible, assist others in need who are not of our faith. These services operate on principles that encourage self-reliance and self-respect. For example, recipients of these resources are given the opportunity to work — to the extent of their ability — for the assistance they receive or to pay forward the service rendered in other ways. Overhead costs are provided through other funding sources.[vi]

Members’ donations make possible the programs and resources for self-reliance, relief and emergency services. In addition to meeting the need for food, clothing and shelter, these include providing vocational rehabilitation and employment opportunities for citizens, immigrants and refugees and funding counseling and adoption services as well as addiction recovery support groups and resources for social, emotional and spiritual challenges.

Individuals typically depend on the Church’s food assistance for only three to six months before they become self-sufficient once again.

In 2011 there were almost 10,000 volunteer missionaries serving in welfare services, providing services such as managing employment centers, teaching English as a second language, teaching marriage and parenting skills, improving agricultural and medical practices and distributing clothing.[vii]

Wall Street Journal columnist Naomi Schaefer Riley observed that the LDS welfare system “lets almost no one fall through the cracks while at the same time ensuring that its beneficiaries don’t become lifelong dependents.”[viii]

Perpetual Education Fund

Donations to the Perpetual Education Fund support Latter-day Saints in some countries outside the United States in their efforts to acquire technical, vocational or professional education. Loans are granted at minimal interest, and participants do their best to repay the loan as soon as possible to become free of debt and to make money available for others who need help. Repayments from existing participants and donations are used to make new loans to qualified students. The entire administrative cost of the PEF program is borne by the Church, leaving 100 percent of the donations to go directly toward the loans. Over 50,000 students have been helped by these loans, with a 90 percent “pay forward” rate.

LDS Family Services

LDS Family Services draws on charitable donations to offer counseling services related to addiction recovery, familial conflict resolution, abuse and other issues for individuals, couples and families at a cost based on a family’s ability to pay. They also help fund complete adoption services for members and provide services to birth parents and families (regardless of faith). Donations assist those unable to completely self-finance the services.

Mormon Helping Hands

The Church also sponsors the Mormon Helping Hands program, which brings together members of the Church and their neighbors to provide community service all around the world. In recognizable yellow shirts, these volunteers help people whose lives have been affected by disasters or other emergencies. Volunteers also partner with government and nonprofit organizations to support and improve the communities where they live; they clean parks, restore public structures and perform various other community services. Originally started in South America, the program has since spread to nearly every corner of the earth. Hundreds of thousands of Latter-day Saints and other volunteers have donated millions of hours of service to their communities through this program.[ix]

Time

Of course, not all donations can be measured monetarily. Time is a precious resource, and Latter-day Saints give it generously. According to the data in the Penn study, an active Latter-day Saint volunteers 427.9 hours annually to charitable causes (35.6 hours per month — 57 percent of which is for religious purposes). They spend an average of 150 hours annually serving in the Church's social and community initiatives, such as the Church's worldwide welfare and humanitarian aid programs. The study reported that individual members give an additional 34 hours annually to other social causes unrelated to the Church.[x] In 2011, almost seven million hours of labor were donated to Church welfare facilities alone.

Other Donations

Latter-day Saints strive to follow the scriptural counsel to be “anxiously engaged in a good cause.” An abundance of good causes can be found outside Church-sponsored programs, and members are encouraged to be generous with their time and resources in every way they can. According to the Penn study, an active Latter-day Saint donates generously to non-Church-related charitable causes.[xi]

Striving for Good Works

The success of the Church’s welfare program is a credit to the individual Latter-day Saint congregants and their neighbors who voluntarily give of their money and time and support those in need. The total amount of aid given through these efforts is not publicized, but it would be significant by any measure. As multiple independent studies have demonstrated, there is little question that practicing Latter-day Saints are generous with their time and resources. At their best, Latter-day Saints give not for the accolades of others but because they follow the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to love and serve one another. The Church is mindful of Christ’s admonition to “do not your alms before men, to be seen of them.” At the same time, it takes seriously the Savior’s call to “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” The Church’s relief efforts strive for this balance."






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[i] Sarah Jane Weaver, “Tsunami relief, aid finished in Indonesia,” Church News, Jan. 26, 2008. http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/51578/Tsunami-relief-aid-finished-in-Indonesia.html


[ii] “Welfare Services Fact Sheet — 2011,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2012. http://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/welfare/2011-welfare-services-fact-sheet.pdf


[iii] “LDS volunteer more than average,” LDS Church News, Mar. 24, 2012. http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/62134/LDS-volunteer-more-than-average.html


[iv] “Penn Research Shows That Mormons Are Generous and Active in Helping Others,” Penn News, Apr. 17, 2012. http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/news/penn-research-shows-mormons-are-generous-and-active-helping-others


[v] Ibid.


[vi] “Guidelines for Donations,” LDS Humanitarian Center. http://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/content/english/pdf/service/humanitarian/help/donation-guidelines.pdf?lang=eng


[vii] “Welfare Services Fact Sheet — 2011.”


[viii] Riley, “What the Mormons Know about Welfare.”


[ix] “Mormon Helping Hands,” http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/helping-hands


[x] “Penn Research Shows That Mormons Are Generous and Active in Helping Others.”


[xi] Ibid.

Quote of the Day: Pres. Thomas S. Monson

I really love this quote by Pres. Monson that was shared in the book, "Daughters in My Kingdom". To me, this is the very heart of true charity.

Pres. Thomas S. Monson:

“I consider charity—or ‘the pure love of Christ’—to be the opposite of criticism and judging. In speaking of charity, I do not at this moment have in mind the relief of the suffering through the giving of our substance. That, of course, is necessary and proper. Tonight, however, I have in mind the charity that manifests itself when we are tolerant of others and lenient toward their actions, the kind of charity that forgives, the kind of charity that is patient.

“I have in mind the charity that impels us to be sympathetic, compassionate, and merciful, not only in times of sickness and affliction and distress but also in times of weakness or error on the part of others.

“There is a serious need for the charity that gives attention to those who are unnoticed, hope to those who are discouraged, aid to those who are afflicted. True charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere.

“Needed is the charity which refuses to find satisfaction in hearing or in repeating the reports of misfortunes that come to others, unless by so doing, the unfortunate one may be benefited. …

“Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others.

“Charity, that pure love of Christ, is manifest when a group of young women from a singles ward travels hundreds of miles to attend the funeral services for the mother of one of their Relief Society sisters. Charity is shown when devoted visiting teachers return month after month, year after year to the same uninterested, somewhat critical sister. It is evident when an elderly widow is remembered and taken to ward functions and to Relief Society activities. It is felt when the sister sitting alone in Relief Society receives the invitation, ‘Come—sit by us.’

“In a hundred small ways, all of you wear the mantle of charity. Life is perfect for none of us. Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life. May we recognize that each one is doing her best to deal with the challenges which come her way, and may we strive to do our best to help out.

“Charity has been defined as ‘the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love,’ the ‘pure love of Christ … ; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with [her].’

“‘Charity never faileth.’ May this long-enduring Relief Society motto, this timeless truth, guide you in everything you do. May it permeate your very souls and find expression in all your thoughts and actions.”

Being Mormon, and Being Friendly

I read a comment on another blog that said that Mormons are not friendly to women, gays, and Jews. I wanted to respond, but this blog post had probably 1000 comments, and I felt my reply would just get lost in the midst. I also wasn't sure the author of the blog would appreciate this discussion, which veered greatly from her original topic. I decided that even though they most likely won't read my blog, I would respond here anyway.

First of all I must add my disclaimer that not all members of our church are friendly. We all have personal weaknesses. We have high standards in our church, but not everyone has grown sufficiently to live up to them. I can only give general observations, because for every group that is friendly, someone can surely give an example of someone in our church who isn't. But if everyone lived up to our beliefs, we would all be friendly.

Are "Mormons" unfriendly to women? Some people think that because women in our church don't hold the Priesthood, that church leadership is being chauvinistic. But what they must understand is that we believe this to be God's policy, not man's. In fact, if given the chance, I'm sure the male leadership of the church would be more than willing to hand over the reigns. Those who have served in our church will freely admit that it is a lot of work. It is also a lay leadership, and their service isn't compensated monetarily. Why would a man give up his free time to serve in the church if he isn't compensated with money? It comes from obedience, and out of a desire to serve God. But it is a LOT of work, and I'm sure they would be happy to share the load. But as it is, women in our church are given GREAT responsibility. We serve in many different positions, and are also not paid for our time. I think almost every woman in the church would agree that we have plenty of work to do already, and aren't interested in taking any of the Priesthood positions.

I personally have served in many different positions in the church, and have found the men to be extremely respectful. They have respected my opinions, and have asked me to freely share my opinions. They have always been grateful for my service, and have expressed that gratitude often. I have sat in the counsels of the Priesthood, and have been asked to give my input. One church leader even said that women were the "crowning creation". (Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley "The women in our lives" October 2004) If that isn't woman friendly, I don't know what is.

Are "Mormons" friendly to gays? I can tell you personally that I know several gay members, and from what I have seen, everyone is friendly to them. That doesn't mean we accept their lifestyle. In fact, a gay lifestyle goes against the teachings of our church. But we believe they are our spirit brothers and sisters, and we accept them as such. We do not accept same sex marriage, but we accept those of same gender attraction. Our church guidelines do not allow someone who is having sex with a members of the opposite sex to be a member of the church. But we still welcome them to attend our Sunday church meetings. We also do not believe that someone should have sex with someone of the opposite sex unless they are married to them. If those people disobey this commandment, they too can have their membership taken away. But they are also still welcome to attend our Sunday meetings. This isn't a matter of being friendly or not friendly, it is a matter of rules and God's law.

Are "Mormons" friendly to Jews? I think before I can answer that, I must comment that I think that there are many Christians who dislike Jews because of the crucifixion of Christ. In our religion, we believe that the Jews really are a covenant people of God, and that the promises made to them in the Bible will be fulfilled. I have posted before an article by Ezra Taft Benson that really sums up our views of the Jewish people. Personally, I think holding a grudge against the Jewish people is like holding a grudge against all caucasians because of their ancestor's practice of slavery. Those who committed the offenses should be the ones punished, not their posterity forever after.

I hope that people will think more carefully before making blanket statements about our religion. We are not all the same, even though we share the same beliefs. Some of us are better at living our religion than others. That doesn't detract from the truthfulness of what we believe. I hope that everyone who attends our meetings will feel welcome, and that those who are interested to learn more will ask us, instead of listening to those who aren't well informed about us.

Conference Messages: The Merciful Obtain Mercy

BY PRESIDENT DIETER F. UCHTDORF
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
April 2012 General Conference

My dear brothers and sisters, not long ago I received a letter from a concerned mother who pleaded for a general conference talk on a topic that would specifically benefit her two children. A rift had grown between them, and they had stopped speaking to each other. The mother was heartbroken. In the letter she assured me that a general conference message on this topic would reconcile her children, and all would be well.

This good sister’s sincere and heartfelt plea was just one of several promptings I have received over these last months that I should say a few words today on a topic that is a growing concern—not only for a worried mother but for many in the Church and, indeed, the world.

I am impressed by the faith of this loving mother that a general conference talk could help heal the relationship between her children. I am sure that her confidence was not so much in the abilities of the speakers but in “the virtue of the word of God,” which has a “more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than … anything else.”1 Dear sister, I pray that the Spirit will touch your children’s hearts.

When Relationships Go Bad
Strained and broken relationships are as old as humankind itself. Ancient Cain was the first who allowed the cancer of bitterness and malice to canker his heart. He tilled the ground of his soul with envy and hatred and allowed these feelings to ripen until he did the unthinkable—murdering his own brother and becoming, in the process, the father of Satan’s lies.2

Since those first days the spirit of envy and hatred has led to some of the most tragic stories in history. It turned Saul against David, the sons of Jacob against their brother Joseph, Laman and Lemuel against Nephi, and Amalickiah against Moroni.

I imagine that every person on earth has been affected in some way by the destructive spirit of contention, resentment, and revenge. Perhaps there are even times when we recognize this spirit in ourselves. When we feel hurt, angry, or envious, it is quite easy to judge other people, often assigning dark motives to their actions in order to justify our own feelings of resentment.

The Doctrine
Of course, we know this is wrong. The doctrine is clear. We all depend on the Savior; none of us can be saved without Him. Christ’s Atonement is infinite and eternal. Forgiveness for our sins comes with conditions. We must repent, and we must be willing to forgive others. Jesus taught: “Forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not … [stands] condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin”3 and “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”4

Of course, these words seem perfectly reasonable—when applied to someone else. We can so clearly and easily see the harmful results that come when others judge and hold grudges. And we certainly don’t like it when people judge us.

But when it comes to our own prejudices and grievances, we too often justify our anger as righteous and our judgment as reliable and only appropriate. Though we cannot look into another’s heart, we assume that we know a bad motive or even a bad person when we see one. We make exceptions when it comes to our own bitterness because we feel that, in our case, we have all the information we need to hold someone else in contempt.

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, said that those who pass judgment on others are “inexcusable.” The moment we judge someone else, he explained, we condemn ourselves, for none is without sin.5 Refusing to forgive is a grievous sin—one the Savior warned against. Jesus’s own disciples had “sought occasion against [each other] and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened.”6

Our Savior has spoken so clearly on this subject that there is little room for private interpretation. “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive,” but then He said, “… of you it is required to forgive all men.”7

May I add a footnote here? When the Lord requires that we forgive all men, that includes forgiving ourselves. Sometimes, of all the people in the world, the one who is the hardest to forgive—as well as perhaps the one who is most in need of our forgiveness—is the person looking back at us in the mirror.

The Bottom Line
This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:

Stop it!

It’s that simple. We simply have to stop judging others and replace judgmental thoughts and feelings with a heart full of love for God and His children. God is our Father. We are His children. We are all brothers and sisters. I don’t know exactly how to articulate this point of not judging others with sufficient eloquence, passion, and persuasion to make it stick. I can quote scripture, I can try to expound doctrine, and I will even quote a bumper sticker I recently saw. It was attached to the back of a car whose driver appeared to be a little rough around the edges, but the words on the sticker taught an insightful lesson. It read, “Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you.”

We must recognize that we are all imperfect—that we are beggars before God. Haven’t we all, at one time or another, meekly approached the mercy seat and pleaded for grace? Haven’t we wished with all the energy of our souls for mercy—to be forgiven for the mistakes we have made and the sins we have committed?

Because we all depend on the mercy of God, how can we deny to others any measure of the grace we so desperately desire for ourselves? My beloved brothers and sisters, should we not forgive as we wish to be forgiven?

The Love of God
Is this difficult to do?

Yes, of course.

Forgiving ourselves and others is not easy. In fact, for most of us it requires a major change in our attitude and way of thinking—even a change of heart. But there is good news. This “mighty change”8 of heart is exactly what the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring into our lives.

How is it done? Through the love of God.

When our hearts are filled with the love of God, something good and pure happens to us. We “keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.”9

The more we allow the love of God to govern our minds and emotions—the more we allow our love for our Heavenly Father to swell within our hearts—the easier it is to love others with the pure love of Christ. As we open our hearts to the glowing dawn of the love of God, the darkness and cold of animosity and envy will eventually fade.

As always, Christ is our exemplar. In His teachings as in His life, He showed us the way. He forgave the wicked, the vulgar, and those who sought to hurt and to do Him harm.

Jesus said it is easy to love those who love us; even the wicked can do that. But Jesus Christ taught a higher law. His words echo through the centuries and are meant for us today. They are meant for all who desire to be His disciples. They are meant for you and me: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”10

When our hearts are filled with the love of God, we become “kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving [each other], even as God for Christ’s sake [forgave us].”11

The pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment and wrath from our eyes, allowing us to see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to imagine. Because God loves us so much, we too must love and forgive each other.

The Way of the Disciple
My dear brothers and sisters, consider the following questions as a self-test:

Do you harbor a grudge against someone else?

Do you gossip, even when what you say may be true?

Do you exclude, push away, or punish others because of something they have done?

Do you secretly envy another?

Do you wish to cause harm to someone?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to apply the two-word sermon from earlier: stop it!

In a world of accusations and unfriendliness, it is easy to gather and cast stones. But before we do so, let us remember the words of the One who is our Master and model: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.”12

Brothers and sisters, let us put down our stones.

Let us be kind.

Let us forgive.

Let us talk peacefully with each other.

Let the love of God fill our hearts.

“Let us do good unto all men.”13

The Savior promised: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over. … For with the same measure that [you use] it shall be measured to you again.”14

Shouldn’t this promise be enough to always focus our efforts on acts of kindness, forgiveness, and charity instead of on any negative behavior?

Let us, as disciples of Jesus Christ, return good for evil.15 Let us not seek revenge or allow our wrath to overcome us.

“For it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink. …

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”16

Remember: in the end, it is the merciful who obtain mercy.17

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, wherever we may be, let us be known as a people who “have love one to another.”18

Love One Another
Brothers and sisters, there is enough heartache and sorrow in this life without our adding to it through our own stubbornness, bitterness, and resentment.

We are not perfect.

The people around us are not perfect.19 People do things that annoy, disappoint, and anger. In this mortal life it will always be that way.

Nevertheless, we must let go of our grievances. Part of the purpose of mortality is to learn how to let go of such things. That is the Lord’s way.

Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive.

Lay your burden at the Savior’s feet. Let go of judgment. Allow Christ’s Atonement to change and heal your heart. Love one another. Forgive one another.

The merciful will obtain mercy.

Of this I testify in the name of the One who loved so well and so completely that He gave His life for us, His friends—in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. Alma 31:5.


2. See Moses 5:16–32.


3. Doctrine and Covenants 64:9.


4. Matthew 5:7.


5. See Romans 2:1.


6. Doctrine and Covenants 64:8.


7. Doctrine and Covenants 64:10; emphasis added.


8. Mosiah 5:2.


9. 1 John 5:3–4.


10. Matthew 5:44; see also verses 45–47.


11. Ephesians 4:32.


12. John 8:7.


13. Galatians 6:10.


14. Luke 6:38.


15. See Matthew 5:39–41.


16. Romans 12:19–21.


17. See Matthew 5:7.


18. John 13:35.


19. See Romans 3:23.

Book of Mormon Sampler: Mosiah 2:17

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.
Mosiah 2:17